Working Hard
by pipecleanerFlowers
Summary: ... but for what? Stan is attempting to study, but he can't help but be distracted. It's in his nature. Not everyone can be like the study machine known as Kyle Broflovski! Rated for swearing.


It was bad enough trying to concentrate on homework in the school cafeteria, what with the constant noise consisting of shrieking and gossip from the girls table and the never-ending slew of paper airplanes and conspiracy plans from the boys table, but Kyle had honestly had enough. Not even moving to another table could spare him from the questioning looks and stares of fellow classmates who still hadn't learned that yeah, homework wasn't optional.

So when Kyle finally slammed his book shut out of frustration, he was surprised to see Stan standing behind him with a curious look on his face.

"Hey dude, what's up?" Kyle asked as he shoved his biology books back into his knapsack.

"Oh, nothing... Just sick if hearing about Cartman and his latest plan to get back at the girls for embarrassing him a month ago," Stan told him, sliding into the seat beside him. "Honestly, I thought he would have let that go by now..."

"Guess not. He can sure hold a grudge."

"Yeah."

A pause, then, "So, what were you doing all the way over here?"

"Trying and failing to work," Kyle explained briefly, holding up one of his notebooks that were spread across the table.

"Cool," Stan said, shrugging off his knapsack and propping it against his chair. "So how'd you do on the algebra homework?"

"I finished that last night, it was pretty easy after reading over the formulas."

"That's good."

A few moments passed in which Kyle bent over his work, scribbling away on the next assignment. Stan didn't leave. Kyle soon noticed this and looked back up expectantly.

"... Stan? Did you want something, or can I do the rest of my homework?"

"Um, yeah dude, go ahead," Stan mumbled, suddenly flustered. "I was just gonna keep you company. I have some work that needs finishing too."

"Oh, okay."

A minute passed and Kyle was finally getting somewhere with his history essay when he noticed Stan staring at him again from the corner of his eye. He looked up and glared at him accusingly.

"Stan?" He called. "What are you doing?"

Stan looked surprised, and coughed nervously. "Um, er... I was just thinking about how concentrated you are and how I kinda wanna be able to focus like you can..." He explained feebly.

Kyle stared at him for a moment before shrugging. "Whatever you say, dude."

Stan stared at his own work, wondering where to start. Questions for math, an essay for history, or studying for English? He found his eyes wandering upward from his agenda, trailing their way back to Kyle. Seriously. How could he concentrate like that? Making homework look like it was as easy as Guitar Hero...

"Stan?" This time, Kyle hadn't needed to look up.

Stan quickly ducked his head, staring at the scrawly writing in his agenda. He decided to do math. Since it was only review work, it would be relatively easy. He got his textbook out, flipping to page one-hundred and thirty-three, and poised his pencil to write out the first question. But as soon as it touched the paper, the lead broke.

_Fuck..._ "Hey Kyle?"

"Yes Stan?" He asked impatiently.

"Do you have a pencil sharpener?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, it's in my pencil case."

Stan rummaged through it, finding a blackened eraser and a multitude of short, chewed-up pencils before finally finding the small metal saviour.

"Thanks, dude."

"Whatever."

Three questions in, Stan looked back up. He found his eyes going back to the same daywalker beside him and quickly switched their course toward the clock. _Only fifteen more minutes... I can get this done before class starts, easy._ Stan tried convincing himself. After another moment in shook his head. _The hell am I thinking? I can barely finish five questions without thinking about something else..._

"Stan?"

"Yes?" He responded, ready to give up.

"Dude, you've been making weird expressions for the past minute."

"... I have?" _Crap..._

"Yeah. If there's something on your mind, you know you can talk about it with me."

A hesitation, then, "Nah, it's stupid anyway."

Kyle sighed. "Does it have to do with Wendy?"

"... How'd you know?"

"Dude, I'm your best friend. How do I _not_ know?"

"Point taken."

"So, what's up?"

"We..."

"Broke up, yeah I already figured that out."

"Damn, you're good."

"What did you expect? Your relationship is kinda predictable," Kyle shrugged. "Lemme guess, it happened sometime two days ago, and that's why you didn't respond to any of my texts, and then yesterday she gave you another chance, which makes the count add up to around... seventy-one."

Stan looked more impressed than depressed. "Whoa, dude. You're good."

"Again, what did you expect? By the way, I saw the tally on your cork-board yesterday. You've been keeping track too, haven't you?"

Stan nodded, feeling much like an open book.

"Don't feel too bad about it. One day, when you decide to do the breaking up, you can shove that tally in her face and make her feel like a total bitch."

"You really don't think I should try to be her perfect guy, don't you?"

"Of course I do! She's not worth your effort. What's she making you do this time?"

"She compared me to you... and told me that she wishes I could keep up with her superior intelligence. And then she told me that she'd rather date you."

"... The fuck?" Kyle stared at him for a moment in pure disbelief. "That bitch! Is that why you're actually studying right now?"

"... Yeah..."

"Fuck that, dude," He said, starting to stuff his books into his bag as quickly as he could. "We're going to go right up to her and tell her off, before lunch ends."

"It ends in three minutes, Kyle. We hardly have enough time to get to her locker."

"Then we'll meet her in class and make a scene out of it. Better if everyone knows she's a bitch and not just us," Kyle resolved. "Let's go."

Stan watched as his best friend walked out, and hid a smile as he picked up his bag.

"You coming, Stan?" He called over his shoulder.

Stan's smile grew into a full-blown grin. He felt better already.

* * *

The SP fanfic plot bunnies just keep coming this week! lol :) Hope you liked this!

It can be Style if you want it to be, but I didn't write it that way.


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